Small Cottage

"Is it possible to loathe all the seasons? The one I hate the least would have to be winter, because everyone is so happy, and the snow is very pretty, but it's freezing, and expensive. Summer is hot, boring, and with it brings bikini season, the eternal dread of all females. Spring is dull and rainy, and autumn is just dreadful, waiting for the cold of winter to arrive. But, I guess snow is okay, if you're inside."

Elroy smiled. "Ahh, bikini season..."

"Pervert." Serenity mumbled from within her blankets. It occurred to her she didn't own a bikini anymore, her old ones didn't fit, or were lost in transit. "So, how have you been? Working hard? Are you hooking back up with Irene, by any chance?"

"Of course not. She told me she'd call the police if I so much as thought of her again."

Serenity smiled. "Well.. Do you have any other girlfriend? Some girl with really nice, tan legs? Does she have a seductive name like Sacha? I know tan legs are really in right now, but some people just don't have time to tan anymore. They have work to do, exams to study for."

"Uh... no?" he replied, looking puzzled.

Serenity looked rather smug. "Good. You don't happen to be gay, either, right? You didn't turn gay? You're still completely available?" She skipped all of the nice, pleasant questions. "I think we should be a couple. A real one, not just dating every four months. We already live together, and I like you, and it's quite obvious you're mooning over me like a hungry little wolf." Serenity smiled, looking quite proud of herself, even though some of her information was inaccurate- to be specific, the part about Elroy. She didn't even know how he tolerated her being around. "We could have sex regularly. And you could buy me roses, and perfume, and hug me every night. You could tuck me in and give me kisses goodnight.. It would be wonderful. And then I'd go back to law school, and someone would miss me."

And once Serenity had finished, it was evident that Elroy couldn't hold back his laughter anymore. So, he let it all out. "Yeah, okay!"

Serenity looked away, staring pointedly at the television. She was blushing, and obviously trying not to just start crying. "Stop laughing at me. I was actually being serious."

"Seriously?" He struggled to stop laughing, and soon enough, he did. "Well, why not."

"Great!" Serenity said. "So, now that that's taken care of, what do you want for Christmas?"

Elroy thought for a moment. "Hmm... Nothing, really. What about you?"

"I'd like diamonds. Hunks of gold, rubies, emeralds, diamonds, jewelry, silver..." She said, smiling.

"Dream on."

"Doesn't hurt anything." She was beginning to stare out the window again.

And they fell into silence again.

"My sister's getting married soon." Serenity mumbled. Then, she had quite an idea. "Do you want to go build a snowman, or make snow angels, or something? It would be really fun."

"Too early." He craned his head around the back of the chair, trying to see the clock in the kitchen. Not that he could. "What time is it?"

"If you wouldn't be so stubborn and just get glasses, you'd be able to see. It's.. around eleven," She lied. It was actually about ten. "It's not very early at all."

"No thanks, I'd rather be blind."

"You could get contacts. I still don't get what's wrong. Do you just not want to look like Angel?"

"No!" he denied, turning back to the television. There was nothing on. "Just... I just don't want to. Is that problematic?"

"Yeah, it is. You're going to make your eyesight worse. And I'll stop paying the TV bills until you get your eyes fixed, put on glasses, or use contacts. And that is the wimpiest excuse ever."

"I could live without it."

"Well, then, when I leave, I'll bust the heater!" Serenity wouldn't dare do that, but she would threaten it anyways.